You've probably heard people talk about charging their crystals or putting them in the moonlight. In this post, we'll cover why clearing (not charging) is a best practice, as well as all the ways you can do clear your crystals!
Crystals absorb, transform, amplify and transmit energy. For this reason, it is important to cleanse and clear crystals when you first acquire them and then periodically after that. They’ve had a long journey to get to you and have collected energy along the way. Therefore, it’s always a good practice to restore them back to their highest vibration.
Additionally, they may become overloaded over time and become less intense or dull as they encounter interference from energies they come into contact with. We’ve taken them out of their natural environment, so they may become off kilter when they are used in healing or exposed to chaotic energy.
As you develop a relationship with your crystals, you'll probably have a good sense for when they need to be cleared, but here's when I recommend clearing your crystals:
- When you first get them
- Before and after being used for healing
- When they come into contact with chaotic or negative energy
- When someone else handles them
- On a regular basis thereafter to maintain their original, high vibration
It is important to note that crystals do not need to be ‘charged’. They already hold a high vibration – an energetic charge. They simply need to be cleared of negative or toxic energy they may collect once they are out of the earth.
There is no right or wrong way to do this, and no specific time. Just tune into your crystal to see how it feels and you be the judge. You will likely find that you have a preferred method and cadence over time.
Here are the most common methods for cleansing and clearing:
Sunlight
Sunlight is an easy and effective way to cleanse and charge your crystals. The sun removes any toxic energy and further energizes the crystal so it is bright and revitalized, ready for use! Note that some crystals will fade in the sunlight. So it is best to sunbathe crystals for a few hours; 1-8 hours is fine.
Generally speaking, semi-translucent crystals are the ones that will fade based on their chemical structure. These include: amethyst, rose quartz, smokey quartz, citrine, aquamarine, kunzite, sapphires, celestite, turquoise, opal, fluorite and topaz.
Crystals that will not fade in sunlight include: malachite, howlite, lapis lazuli, labradorite, jade, morganite, tourmaline, sunstone, black obsidian and black onyx.
Moonlight
The moonlight is a wonderful way to cleanse crystals as it deeply purifies them and eliminates all toxic energy they have collected. It is especially good to work with the energies of the new moon and full moon as planetary energy is more amplified and intense making the cleanse very powerful. Note that it is better to place crystal balls, pyramids and pendulums in the moonlight vs the sunlight for how they direct the sun energy.
Grounding
A wonderful way to restore crystals back to their original vibration is by connecting them back to the energies of the earth from which they came. You can do this by laying them on the ground or even better, bury them in the dirt. You may want to do this in a flower pot so your crystal doesn’t travel for you forget the exact spot where it is buried. It is best to leave the crystal here for about four hours minimum.
Bathing
Water will wash away negative energy and also have a cleansing effect on your crystal. You can use regular tap water but it is best to use natural water from a lake or stream as it is charged with the vibrations of the earth. The crystal does not need to sit in the water. It can just be washed as you would a dish and paired with the loving intention of cleansing and clearing. Note that some crystals may degrade in water such as selenite which is comprised of gypsum mineral. You should avoid getting selenite wet.
Sacred Smoke
Sage or palo santo wood have long been used by native traditions for smudging, which is the practice of burning the dried leaves and wood and allowing the smoke to permeate the air. This works best when paired with the intention of clearing and cleansing. To do this, simply waft the smoke around the crystal or hold the crystal in the stream of the smoke. This is a wonderful way to also cleanse your environment at the same time!
Vibrational Sound
Sound is a beautiful way of setting the vibrations of the crystal back to their highest state. It’s worth noting that crystals operate on vibrations of light where sound operates on the vibrations of sound. Each are different forms of vibrational healing. However, the sound can shift the negative vibrations of the crystal restoring it back to its original vibration once it moves through.
To work with this method, use tingsha bells, a singing bowl, tuning fork, gongs, drums or a chime, to send out healing vibrations into the room. You can do this over top of your crystals a few times. Tune in energetically and use your own judgement as to how many rounds you need. Usually just a few will do.
Personally, this is my favorite method! It’s simple and easy to do and keeps the vibrations balanced and high. And it applies to all of the crystals receiving the vibrations making it easy to clear all of your crystals together without moving them.
Dry Rice
Another way of clearing is to place your crystals in a bowl of brown rice. This neutralizes and eliminates and toxic energy from your crystals.
Other Crystals
Some crystals have the power to charge other stones. Selenite is the most widely used for this as it is a self-charging stone, meaning it does not have to be cleansed or cleared. You can simply place other stones on top of the selenite or lay it next to the selenite, touching it. Leave it here for 30 minutes to an hour or even longer if you prefer.
Quartz is an energizing stone and can also clear and charge other stones. However, quartz itself needs to be regularly cleared. So if you are using it in this way, you’ll want to charge it up before putting it to work on other stones.
Intention
You can also clear your crystals with your thoughts through a focused intention. To do this, simply envision your crystal surrounded by white, healing light and see all of the negative energy being removed from the crystal, sending it back to the earth to be neutralized. You can pair your intention with spoken word to further energize your intention if you choose.
Try it Out
Try a few of these out and see which you prefer the most. You may even have different clearing methods for different crystals. For example, if you have a crystal grid, you may not want to move it. So clearing with vibrational sound may be the best - taking the method to the grid vs taking the crystal to the method (ie. moving it outdoors to see the sun).
This post came from our ebook, Understanding Crystal Energy!
Learn how to work with crystal energy using this easy-to-follow guide packed with hands-on exercises for taking your crystal knowledge deeper into your cells to develop your own true crystal wisdom.
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